What Friends Do
by lightning bird
Summary: "So, I'm doing what friends do-" "Stealing my pillow?" "-and making sure you're not alone."
1. Bunkmates

**What Friends Do**

A/N: This starts in the aftermath of Episode 2 in the first season and ends in an AU timeline after Episode 13 in the second season.

**Chapter One: Bunkmates**

"Shove over."

"Huh-wha?"

"I'm not sleeping on the floor. Shove over."

Awareness crept over Gary as he lifted his head off his pillow. Being roused by a voice other than HUE or KVN was a novelty unto itself, but to have a living, breathing, warm, and furry person standing next to him administering a poke in the ribs . . . well, cookies or no, after years of nothing but robots for company, it was like his birthday and Christmas rolled into one. Still, Avocato demanding to share his bunk was a bit unexpected and clarification was in order.

"You . . . want to sleep with me?" Gary wondered, about three-quarters awake by now. "Not that I blame you, but isn't this a little sudden after just one embrace?"

Avocato rolled his eyes and shook his head, the very image of impatience. "Want to? No. Need to? Yes."

"Uh, not protesting about sharing or anything, but there are other bunks on the ship."

"Maybe, but you're in this one."

Now that was more than a little suggestive. Granted about three hours into their card-playing marathon two days ago, Gary's imagination had flirted with the idea of strip poker because Avocato was a whole new aesthetic and it wasn't just because he was the first living thing Gary had clapped eyes on in five years (the jury was still out on Mooncake being alive, and besides, Mooncake was super adorable while, no disrespect to Quinn's untouchable, perfect 11 status, Avocato was the stuff legends were made of). But was _this_ really the moment for _that_?

He must have projected his physical-contact-deprived thought process, because the towering teal cat-man standing next to his bed let out a sigh, slumped his shoulders a bit, and said, "Gary, a few hours ago the Lord Commander ripped your arm off. I'm not a doctor, but I've got a lot of experience with battlefield wounds and that's some major trauma you went through. Regardless of how you feel right now, you're going to have a reaction and when you do, you're going to need help. Besides, there's always the chance of infection or rejection or your arm might try to strangle you in the middle of the night. Easier for me to be here."

Gary stared, wide-eyed, as Avocato calmly rattled off the what-ifs, none of which had occurred to him. Heartily disturbed, he pushed back from the edge of the bed to make room for his new, feline bunkmate.

"Think any of those things will happen?" he asked nervously as Avocato sat down to kick off his boots. Avocato's long tail served as a momentary distraction when it lightly whapped Gary in the head in a gesture that may have been deliberate. He reached up a hand and grabbed hold of the end, careful not to grip it too tightly. The fur was soft and sleek beneath his fingers, like a cuddly snake. He was surprised when Avacato didn't yank loose, but just kept up the stream of doom and gloom.

"It's hard to say. It's been a hell of a day." As he spoke Avocato unfastened his body armor, hauling the stiff garment over his head to reveal a plain shirt underneath. Freed of the armor, he shook and stretched like the cat he said he wasn't before setting it aside.

"You think I can't handle it?" Gary asked with a huff.

At this declaration of bravado, the Ventrexian twisted slightly to look down at him, his expression serious and maybe even a touch concerned. "Nobody in creation can handle being dismembered like that, Gary. Not me, not you, probably not even the Lord Commander, though I'd like to try it and find out."

"Ditto."

"So, I'm doing what friends do-"

"Stealing my pillow?"

"-and making sure you're not alone," finished Avocato.

Gary nodded, a little overwhelmed. He hadn't had anyone worried for his well-being since . . . since his father died. In hushed tones he finally said, "Thanks, Avocato. That means a lot."

"Help me get my son back and we'll call it even. Gonna let go of my tail?"

"Um . . . no?"

Another sigh, but Avocato gave up and settled in without any pillow-snatching, tail retrieval, or argument, resting on his side with his back to Gary. He lay his head on his forearm and drew his legs in close, like someone who long ago had gotten used to dangerous and harsh conditions and sleeping with one eye open. Even with a few inches between them, Gary could feel the heat of another body so close and smell a faint, musky scent. It was pure heaven, this not being alone and having another person so close, especially someone who cared enough for Gary to stay with him, and trusted him enough to sleep beside him just in case he needed help. Two days ago, Avocato had boarded this ship to kill him. Now they were best friends sharing a bed.

Releasing Avocato's tail long enough to reach down by his feet, Gary snagged the extra blanket on his bunk and pulled it over his companion. Avocato roused momentarily, then settled right back down, making no protest as Gary laid hold of his tail again as he pulled his pillow close and his blanket tight around him. He hesitated a moment, not sure if Avocato would mind, then nestled just close enough to the Ventrexian to rest the very top of his forehead against Avocato's back. He felt his companion tense momentarily, and then relax, and slowly Gary followed suit, his senses filled with the music of another person's breathing.

Prisoner or no, trauma or no, pending dismemberment-inspired meltdown or no, things didn't get much better than this.

**OoOoOoOoO**

Gary woke up on his own, alone, and with a fever, a combination of factors that not only gave him pause, but plenty to think about in a weird, addle-minded sort of way. For the past five years HUE had bounced him out of bed and set him to the mindless tasks of fixing various satellites that had managed to get themselves damaged, and occasionally repairs and maintenance on the _Galaxy One_. It had been a boring-as-hell routine, but if nothing else it had taught him how to fix a spaceship. Which, it occurred to his fevered thoughts, might be some insidious plan to make him repair all ninety-two cruisers he'd destroyed. Now that would suck. Big time.

Wrapped in his blanket, his hair a fright and his face flushed, he made his way to the galley. Avocato was up and poking through the food stores and laying things out on the counters as if trying to figure out what was compatible with Ventrexian digestion. Mooncake hovered close by, watching with interest and occasionally chirping out an opinion.

"You shouldn't be up," was the entirety of Avocato's greeting. "Your temperature rose overnight. You might have an infection."

That made sense. He shrugged. "Yeah, well, coffee."

"What's coffee?"

"Something HUE had better get brewing right now before I self-destruct," Gary managed through a tremendous yawn. "Where _is_ HUE? He's usually throwing me out of bed by now."

Avocato opened a jug of orange juice and recoiled from the smell. "Ugh. I told him if he woke you up, I'd dismantle him and launch all the SAMES out the airlock."

"I believed him," provided HUE, sounding oddly subdued.

"I'll take that," said Gary, reaching for the orange juice.

"You drink this?" asked Avocato, quietly horrified as he handed it over. "It's pure acid!"

"Yeee-up." By way of demonstration, Gary poured a cup of the obnoxiously-colored liquid and downed it in a few gulps, aware of Avocato's incredulous stare as if the Ventrexian expected him to keel over. That wasn't too far off the mark, actually. Wishing he felt better, he gazed at Avocato, suddenly curious. "What do you usually eat?"

"Ventrexians are primarily carnivores. We can and do eat vegetation, but we have to strictly limit our intake." He pulled another container from the refrigerator. "What's this again?"

"Milk. Good in coffee and over cereal and a tradition beverage with cookies, if only I was allowed some."

"Smells better than that orange stuff. Sit down before you fall over, Gary. Are you supposed to be that color?"

"Pinkish-ish?"

"More an uneven green."

"Nooo," he grumbled, taking a seat. He didn't resist the temptation to snuggle into his blanket and rest his head on the table.

"Coffee is ready," announced HUE in hushed tones. Clearly the AI did not want to antagonize the bounty hunter in their midst.

Mooncake hovered over the coffee pot in case Avocato missed it. "Chookity!"

A moment later Avocato proved his worth by setting a steaming mug in front of Gary. "You want some of that – what was it? Milk?"

"Yes, and yes. Join me?"

"I'll try anything once," was the glib reply, and Gary fought to keep his thoughts on the straight and narrow as Avocato brought over a second mug for himself and the jug of milk. "Finish that, then you're hitting that rack again."

"Why are you being so nice?" Gary couldn't help but wonder, not about to argue with such a sensible decision.

Avocato cocked his head, frowning before he began counting off on sharp-nailed fingers. "One, we 'clasped,' as you put it, and while I'm not sure what, it means something. Two, I need you fit to help me get my son back. Three, it's clear it's been too damned long since someone did something for you because they wanted to, not because they were programmed to." He glanced at Mooncake hovering right beside him. "Am I right, Mooncake?"

"Chookity-pok!" was the green blob's wholehearted agreement. He gave Avocato a nod of approval.

"Damn straight. Something tells me everyone on this ship needs to relearn what friendship is, myself included."

Gary sighed in dour agreement. "Got that right, pal. Way too long," he added softly, thrilled to his core that Avocato _wanted_ to be his friend. He noticed HUE was being awfully quiet. Guilty, perhaps? And what about . . .

"Where's KVN?" he wondered.

Avocato got crazy with the milk in his coffee. "I locked him in a stasis field. He wouldn't shut up."

He smiled, sipping his coffee. Yeah, he and Avocato were going to get along just fine . . .

**OoOoOoO**

That reaction Avocato predicted? It hit that night. Hard, fast, and frankly terrifying. The fever didn't help, either. When he snapped out of a nightmare of the Lord Commander tying him into a pretzel, he was shouting in fear, sweaty and dazed and his shoulder felt on fire. Gary knew he'd fallen asleep at the table because the last thing he remembered was Avocato's patented impatient huff right before oblivion. He woke up in the _Galaxy One_'s sickbay to Avocato sharply ordering HUE to prep whatever medications and procedures were necessary to get an infection under control.

"Gary?" asked the bounty hunter with more concern than Gary had experienced in the past two decades. "Keep still. Just breathe. You had a nightmare."

"I can't believe that moldy little turd _ripped my arm off!"_ gasped Gary. "And then I lost it!"

"Your mind?" asked KVN, zooming into the room. "Not possible with me around!"

"My arm, you twit! Who let you in?"

Avocato bristled and let out a hiss that morphed into a growl. In one swift motion his gun appeared in his hand and he drew a bead on KVN without the least hesitation. "Out or I'll shoot you again."

"KVN, leave," ordered HUE. "Avocato, no more discharging firearms inside the ship."

Avocato holstered his blaster only after KVN made himself scarce. The scene gave Gary pause despite his need to rave.

"Wait, you shot KVN? How can I ever thank you? HUE, save me that video feed." The distraction helped, and Gary was a little calmer as he looked at Avocato. "Tera Con Prime was the best worst place I've ever been. I mean, street meat, but then that guy got liquefied and Clarence is pure slime ball. Then I destroyed a family, but Dave was having an affair on me with Melanie's sister and then I saw you'd gotten captured and . . . and . . ."

"The Lord commander ripped your arm off. I'm sorry I left you," Avocato said softly, meaning it. "My only thought was to find Little Cato."

Gary gazed at him, seeing the layers of pain and regret in those yellow eyes. Was it an apology he was looking for? No. He'd already gotten that. Twice. And god knew everyone else in the universe had abandoned him. It had happened so many times – why did it still hurt so much? Shouldn't he have gotten used to it?

But Avocato had come back.

For the first time in Gary's life, someone had come back.

"No, it wasn't your only thought," he corrected, setting the record straight for both of their sakes. "Just your first thought. You wouldn't have come back for me otherwise."

"I shouldn't have run."

"If you hadn't, we'd probably both be dead, yo."

Avocato didn't disagree.

"Avocato," HUE said cautiously in welcome interruption, "I've run an analysis. You were correct in your surmise that Gary acquired an infection on Tera Con Prime. Antibiotics, pain blockers, fluids, and rest should have it under control within two days. I can have one of the SAMES administer the medications if you like."

He wasn't surprised when Avocato's ears flattened sharply in protest and he said, "No. I'll do it. Not like I haven't done it before." Folding his arms across his chest, the Ventrexian regarded him with those large, yellow eyes. Gary smiled wryly.

"Well, you said I'd react. I did."

A small snort escaped Avocato. "It's a start. You've got a lot to deal with yet. Listen, Gary, I've spent most of my life serving in the military. I've seen and experienced all sorts of trauma. Everyone deals with it on their own terms – at least, the smart ones do. So I'm telling you this now – whatever you need, it's okay. Just ask me or tell me."

He stared at his friend in awe, rather taken aback at so generous an offer. Gathering his courage, he quietly asked, "Will you stay with me again tonight?"

Avocato favored him with a rare little smile. "For as many nights as you need."

He nodded in reply, but deep down, he wondered if Avocato really knew what he was signing up for. Gary strongly suspected that after this, he'd need Avocato for the rest of time.


	2. Friends, Family, and Fathers

**Chapter Two: Friends, Family, and Fathers  
**

"You got this, HUE?"

The squat little robot looked around the side of the pilot's chair. "I got this, dog."

The idea of HUE trying to sound hip and reassuring at the same time still sufficed to amuse the heck out of Gary. If he hadn't been light years beyond exhausted, he would have laughed. As it was, he just shook his head and smiled faintly, gesturing weakly.

"Thanks. I'll be in my cabin. If anything happens, jettison KVN at it and then call me."

"Roger that."

Walking to the back of the control room, he passed Tribore snoring in the navigator's chair and found Little Cato sitting on the floor with Ash and Fox. The three youngest members of the _Crimson Light_ crew were recounting their roles in the pell-mell furor of the last few days just as soldiers and adventurers of every species and age had done for millennia.

"- and shoom! He whipped that chunk of rock at us so fast, it was just a streak on the screens! I disintegrated that asteroid so good, it was gone before it even got close!" He waved his hands in dramatic pantomime. "Whoosh! Nothin' but space dust."

Little Cato looked up from his share of the battle at his adopted father and grinned. His energy levels were nothing short of amazing and possibly a little frightening. "What do you say, Dad?"

"I say don't stay up too late," he replied, suddenly feeling very stodgy and responsible and positively adult. "And get something to eat. That goes for all of you."

Fox displayed a few brightly-colored packs of snacks devoid of nutritional value but crammed with flavor and crunch. "One step ahead of you."

Well, it was something to eat. Next time he'd know to specify food that wasn't equal amounts of fat and sugar, but it wasn't as if they wouldn't burn it off by tomorrow.

"Did you see where your dad went?" wondered Gary.

"Sickbay. He needed something for a headache," said Little Cato. Both his companions looked anywhere but at the Ventrexian.

Ash winced. "Thaaat's probably my fault," she admitted, but father and son waved off her remorse.

"C'mon, we _all _tried to flatten him," said Gary gently, and the ridiculousness of the situation as a whole struck him. Every one of them had fought -and lost to – the possessed Avocato. Gary knew from experience that while the imperviousness had come from Invictus, the strength and fighting skills had been General Avocato at his deadly best. Better than anyone, Gary knew they were lucky to be alive and stopping so much brute force was nothing to regret.

Little Cato let out a proud little laugh as much for his father's fighting skills as for his friend's actions. "You just happened to succeed, Ash. Thanks. You got my dad back."

Ash looked down, basking in the praise as she hugged her knees in close. She shrugged and said, "You guys softened him up for me."

"Softest wall of rock that ever hit me," Fox muttered under his breath.

That made them all laugh, however briefly. Gary smiled as he fondly mussed Little Cato's crest of bright blue hair. "Not too late, Spider Cat," he echoed, and left them to their celebrations.

He sighed as the door closed behind him. He was dragging. Literally. This business of being the captain was neverending, and this was just one small ship with a crew of ten (he didn't count KVN). He thought of Avocato being in command of fleets and armies and whole planetary systems and wondered if he wasn't a hell of a lot happier as a bounty hunter. The whole crew of the _Crimson Light_ had been up and at it for days as Bolo's war with the Titans had raged around them. Now, finally, they had a little pocket of calm, a chance to lick their wounds and catch their breath as they tried to figure out what the hell had just happened to the universe.

Gary slumped down the short corridor housing their living quarters. Space was very limited on the _Crimson Light_, and out of necessity they had doubled and tripled up in the berths to make ten people fit in space meant for six. All the women shared the largest room, with Fox and Little Cato theoretically sharing with Tribore, though the resistance leader tended to fall asleep anywhere _but_ his cabin. That left Mooncake, Gary and Avocato in the smallest room, though in truth since returning from Inner Space, they hadn't had time to address the question of sleeping arrangements since they hadn't really slept at all.

He was about to head toward sickbay when one of the doors in the hall before him opened and his mother stepped out of the cabin. Sheryl Goodspeed gazed at him assessingly for a moment, taking in his fatigue and thoughtful expression.

"Hey, Mom," he said softly, not sure he was up to her intensity right now. For a moment it seemed as if she was going to come out with something biting and Gary braced himself.

The blow never came. "You did good today, kiddo," she replied, her features softening.

"Thanks. How's Quinn?"

"Where you should be: asleep."

"Yeah, I just want to check on Avocato. Little Cato said he had a headache."

She let out a snort. "That man's sporting a hell of a lot more than a headache, Gary. He's got more baggage than a cruise ship."

Being dead, then alive, losing his memory, getting possessed, getting shot, trying to kill everyone and everyone trying to return the favor. There was no denying Avocato was not having a blue-ribbon year.

"Yeah. I know." He shrugged. "He's not alone."

"Neither are you," she assured him. Sheryl favored him with the shadow of a smile. "Remember that, and get some rest."

"Promise," he said, heading toward sickbay. He glanced back to where Sheryl leaned against the door, watching him, and return the smile. "Thanks, Mom."

They had a long way to go, but they'd get there. This was his family now, and they all had to work at figuring out what that meant. The first tense meeting between Avocato and Sheryl Goodspeed had not been pretty, but it had established some serious boundaries. He was just thankful that looks couldn't kill because if they could, the crew of the _Crimson Light_ would have been cleaning blood off the walls for days.

_"Avocato, this is my mom, Sheryl Goodspeed. Mom, this is my friend Avocato."_

_"I've heard about you. You were the Lord Commander's second in command, weren't you?"_

_"Mmm. And you were Gary's only parent, weren't – oh, no. Not even."_

_"Uh . . ."_

_"You got me. You were much better at your job than I was at mine, I freely admit. How many people did you kill? Four billion, was it?"_

_"Um . . .guys, can we not . . ."_

_"Not. Even. Close. At least I never denied it and I've never held anyone else responsible for my mistakes."_

_"Ma . . . Cato . . . can we save the hostilities for-"_

_"Touché, General. Maybe you can teach me how to do that."_

_"I might."_

And that ended the initial skirmish. They had looked at him oddly when he let out a loud sigh of relief. He realized now that the exchange had just been two supreme alphas feeling one another out and establishing their territories. That their territories overlapped was a potential problem. Gary knew they weren't quite done with one another, but he was confident they'd at least get along. Mostly. He had the feeling they were going to be arguing like two dogs after one bone and unfortunately, he was that bone, but hey, he had over thirty years of neglect to make up for.

The sickbay, such as it was, was mercifully empty, so Gary trudged back to the living quarters. He should have checked his room first, but there was no thinking, no reasoning when all he wanted was to put his head down and succumb to sheer exhaustion.

"AVA, open the door," he ordered outside his cabin.

"The button's right there," the ship's AI pointed out.

Gary looked at the blue button that was right at chest level, mocking him with its cheery blinking. "It's too high. I can't reach. Just open the door."

She obeyed without further argument. He wasn't surprised to find Avocato sitting on his bunk, his arms resting on his thighs and his hands hanging limply between his knees. His head was bent low and his ears drooped as if his personal gravity had tripled.

"I feel ya, buddy," said Gary sympathetically. Standing before Avocato, he recalled a similar circumstance from what seemed a lifetime ago and gently ordered, "Shove over."

Avocato, easily as worn out as Gary, if not more so, looked up. Though he was too tired to express his amusement, it was clear he recognized the reference and without a word he slid over a foot, silently gesturing Gary to take a seat. He settled into the spot by the frame of the bunk, his appreciation for the warmth that was Avocato renewed. The Ventrexian put off heat like an oven, and Gary felt himself gradually relax with the familiar presence at his side once again. He needed this. Needed his friend, needed to help and be helped. They sat like that for a while, one propping up the other. There was no need for words, but Gary did eventually shift to lean against the side of the frame supporting the bunk above. He closed his eyes, knowing he could sleep here and now. Avocato started to sit up, but Gary reached around Avocato's shoulders and pulled him down instead until his head was on Gary's lap, and Avocato let him. Eyes still closed, sleep tugging him under, Gary instinctively combed his fingers through Avocato's fur in a gentle, soothing rhythm that comforted them both. He smiled to himself when he felt Avocato lift one booted foot, then the other onto the bed and hooked his arm around Gary's knees. His breaths became slow and even, and both men were on the verge of sleep.

"Thank you."

Avocato's whispered voice was overflowing with emotion. Gary went on petting that soft fur beneath his hands, asking,

"What for?"

"For giving Little Cato what I couldn't."

He knew what those words cost his friend. "You're here now. We're here. We got this, Avocato. Together."

A long, content sigh answered. "Yeah. I know. Just wanted to say it."

"You're welcome."


End file.
